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Federal judge sets trial date for Sebastián Marset in the United States
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Federal judge sets trial date for Sebastián Marset in the United States

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A US federal judge has set January 11, 2027, as the trial date for alleged narco-trafficker Sebastián Marset.
  • Marset, captured in Bolivia and extradited to the US, faces charges including money laundering, narcoterrorism conspiracy, and drug distribution conspiracy.
  • The judge opted for an intermediate date between the defense's request for November 2026 and the prosecution's for March 2027, anticipating a complex case.

U.S. federal judge Rossie David Alston Jr. has scheduled the trial for alleged narco-trafficker Sebastián Marset to begin on January 11, 2027. Marset, a 35-year-old Uruguayan national who operated extensively in Paraguay, was apprehended in Bolivia on March 13 and subsequently extradited to the United States.

He is currently detained at the William Gene Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Initially facing charges of conspiracy to launder money, Marset was hit with expanded charges on June 25 by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony T. Aminoff. These new charges include money laundering, conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism, and conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine from a vessel under U.S. jurisdiction.

With my new lawyers, yes

— Sebastián MarsetResponding to the judge's question about his satisfaction with his legal team during the preliminary hearing.

Marset, who previously sent a letter to Judge Alston asserting his innocence and requesting adequate legal representation, appeared in a preliminary hearing on July 1. During the hearing, his defense attorney, Robert Feitel, requested the trial commence in November 2026, while prosecutor Aminoff pushed for March 2027. Judge Alston ultimately chose a middle ground, allocating two weeks or more for what he deemed a complex case.

Following the hearing, when asked by the judge if he was satisfied with his legal team, Marset, through an interpreter, responded affirmatively, stating, "With my new lawyers, yes." When asked if he had further questions, he inquired, "Did you receive my letter?" Judge Alston acknowledged receiving the letter but stated he had not read it, considering it an inappropriate ex parte communication.

Did you receive my letter?

— Sebastián MarsetAsking the judge if he had received his letter after the preliminary hearing.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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